adairsooner, Adair (1/9/2009 3:35:34 AM)

The Sooners gave away too many opportunities to score in the first half, but I will say it was not for a lack of effort or being prepared. I know there are alot of so called "Sooner" fans who will say Stoops blew it or was outcoached. This was not the case, just got beat, not by the better team, just got beat period. It happens to the best of them. I hope the people of this state realize how lucky we are to have a coach of this calibur. We will get that 8th championship. I am still proud of our boys. BOOMER SOONER.

2curious, Tulsa, OK 74104 (1/9/2009 7:11:09 AM)

Hey...the sun came up this morning! What do you know about that?!!!

Coach Stoops is a winner and the school, players, state and fans (in that order) are lucky to have him. Boomer, Sooner.

This (continuing dry spell) is why winning a national championship is such a special thing. It's simply hard to do. And...we will win another one with Coach Stoops. I like our kids (team) a lot and still love my school.

Disappointed? Sure.

Devastated? No.

Ps: Great defensive game plan.

Rhymeister, Tulsa (1/9/2009 7:12:51 AM)

Gosh, Dave, ya think? What a revelation...for stating the obvious. But Stoops, like a lot of coaches, is WAY OVERPAID!

rufnec, Ventura (1/9/2009 8:19:16 AM)

Bob Stoops is a great coach along with all our other coaches. Oklahoma has to recruit nation wide to compete for a BCS national championship. Urban Meyer has to recruit central Florida, Mack Brown central Texas, and Pete Carroll at USC, south central LA. Oklahoma is fortunate to have a head coach like Bob Stoops. I believe Coach Stoops exceeds ALL the other head coaches mentioned above! I'm also thankful for all our other OU coaches too. OU is a top five program because of Bob Stoops, period! Thanks Dave for your good article.

smarter than all of you, (1/9/2009 8:23:32 AM)

Hey Dave, sounds to me as though, you would like to give him a gentle hug also. And your right way overpaid, Stoops needs to find him some more of them 25 & 26 year old 8 year seniors and he'll be back.

Sportsfanatic, Tulsa (1/9/2009 8:29:50 AM)

If we, as true Sooner fans, could send one message to Stoops it would be to keep doing what you are doing!!! I can accept this loss because we played well and we came prepared. Last year we were not prepared. During the last 9 years we have played for 4 National Championships. Granted I would have loved for us to win them all, but you find me one other program in this country that would not jump at the chance to do that. The defense played great last night, the bottom line is that Florida took advantage of their opportunities and punched it in when they had the chance, and we didn't. They are two very evenly matched teams. I know that OU showed all those ESPN so-called "analysts" that they can play defense. I would love to play them in Oklahoma and see what would happen then!!! Stoops, we love you and hope you stay here forever!!!

17Sooner, Tulsa (1/9/2009 8:35:42 AM)

Dave
Thank you for writing the truth and standing up for Coach Stoops. He deserves it.

With today's opinion laden sports personalities who used to be called announcers, your insight is fresh and accurate. The glorification of Mr. Tim Tebow is beyond comprehension. While he is a fine you man, Sam Bradford, Gerald McCoy, etc are as well and never got near the attention.

While I am an ardent Sooner fan, I can imagine that the rest of the country got a little tired of hearing it all too. It was more like a publicity event than football announcing. Thank you for not taking part.

Coach Stoops has accomplished remarkable things for our beloved Sooners. As you mentioned, dropped passes, by recievers who rarely ever ever had that problem was probably the determining factor. One observation...of the last several bowl games it appears our uptempo offense stops being uptempo, I guess in an attempt to call a perfect play against a defense. Thats not was got us there. The tempo change confused our players and made it easier for the competing defense.

Coach Stoops has made the last 10 years fun for all of us Oklahoma Fans. No coach in the country has done the same day in and day out. Funny thing is when he came here he said "no excuses"...he still isn't making any now...and as far as a quality person goes, he has it one up on any coach in America.

Coach Stoops we, like you, can't wait to try it again next year. One of these times, the ball will bounce the other way, the passes won't be dropped or a suspect penalty called at the wrong time. Keep up your determination, because when that happens, and it will, you will be standing there for all of us in the Sooner Nation.

Our Sooner program has been above reproach in every way. We have been in the elite year after year. Doesn't truly get any better than what we have. I for one, am looking forward to 2009.

Dave, thanks.

WCO, Katy (1/9/2009 8:36:40 AM)

Dave:

Once again you illuminate the minority.

99.99% of us are glad that Coach Stoops is a Sooner!

It might help if your paper did not refer to him as 'Medium-Game Bob'!

Thanks Coach Stoops and keep up the good work!

sbsbsd, (1/9/2009 9:58:08 AM)

Stoops is an excellent coach. The only problem I have is that for what he is compensated he is expected to deliver bowl victories and another national title. He knows 'defense wins championships', that is what won in 2000. So why did he endorse a Mike Leach TTech style hurry-up offense at the expense of a weaker defense. It is time to go back to basics, fire Venables, bring in another defensive coordinator (like Texas did) and take some of Stoops salary and try keeping your best assistant coaches from leaving every other year. Heupel will probably be next to leave. Build a Defense, 60-point games are meaningless going into championship football. The goal should be giving up less than 14 pts/ game.

kobuk, Sand Springs (1/9/2009 10:40:22 AM)

We are going down the field with great momentum and then "gulp" what do we do now and the momentum is lost four downs and turn over the football. Someone has to be responsible for not banging it in! In my opinion, COACH STOOPS is a great coach but I see some "fancy plays" by other teams that I haven't seen by OU. Maybe, some reorganization should be in the future. He gets us there but "what happened" Tebow and crew pulled some tricks. Very hard to defense! Something worked for the gators. What!
"Imagination", Tebow and team had just a few of those plays and look where it got them!
Maybe just maybe we learn something from some the teams who use these trick plays. I have seen a few just the last couple of years that I would just think about implementing or trying a version some what similiar.
Great job getting us there and I know that I would be crying the blues if we weren't there but we all like to get over that last hurdle and I know no one wants to it more than coach Stoops. Learn from mistakes regroup and get there again next year with OU on top at the score board when the game ends.

KJL, Sallisaw (1/9/2009 10:51:17 AM)

Stoops to the Broncos? good time to do it. 5 straight BCS losses, yes 5! including one to Boise State.

Instead of "Big Game" Bob, he should change his name to "Bob Tressel"

OU the Ohio State of the Big XII

kullychaha, (1/9/2009 11:05:50 AM)

I appreciate all that Bob has done and all of the great players that have come through OK due to his recruiting.
It was painful to watch Tom Osborne and Nebraska go through their run of bowl losses even though I'm not a Nebraska fan I still supported the Big Eight in those days.
But, now we have taken on that same trend and you have to ask yourself is Bob doing everything in his power to make the changes it takes to win these bowl games?
We have been embarassed in two of these bowl games and no defensive coach change have been made and as fans we know why.
Yes the defense played well in this game but couldn't make the stop when it was needed which is the backbone of a good defense and of the old OU defenses that some of us fans want to get back to the level of in which we aren't.
Offensive play calling wasn't good in the 4 running downs. It was clearly stubborness on the part of the offensive play calling to try and run the ball down the throat of the FL defense. You have an excellent tight end and you don't even try and throw the ball to him not to mention taking the ball out of Sam,s hands. Poor play calling plain and simple.
The offensive line just didn't get it done at crucial times such as the holding call on the long pass play to the TE that was called back and the 4th down run play in which a FL defensive lineman was allowed into the back field from the OPPOSITE side of the line in which we were running toward.
Sooner fans, Bob has done a good job but its clear that things need to change in order to move back to the level that the Sooners have enjoyed and that Bob is being paid to deliver. He is being paid more than take us to bowl games and if he isn't making changes in his coaching staff when it is clear they aren't getting it done then painfully you have to move on to somebody that will or take all of the pain that comes with these bowl losses as The University of Nebraska did with Tom Osborne.
It is sad when you don't make it to a bowl game but even worse when you play the way we have over the past bowl games.

concernedpapa, Kiefer (1/9/2009 11:37:29 AM)

Bob Stoops is a class act and I hope he stays here another 10 years and gets a 6 Mill bonus Excellent article.

longhornnation, Austin America (1/9/2009 11:41:38 AM)

We withdraw our offer.

Signed: The Denver Bronco's

Royce, Tulsa (1/9/2009 11:59:32 AM)

Yes OU lost another BCS bowl game which makes a total of 5 BCS bowl losses.

I can't think of another school which has even played in 5 BCS bowls, and Bob Stoops won his first one if you can recall, so Bob Stoops' teams have actually played in 6 BCS bowls.

You can be absolutely certain that if Bob Stoops ever feels unwelcome at OU there are plenty of options for him in both college and NFL football.

Bob Stoops, like Bud Wilkinson, is a terrific coach and, unlike Barry Switzer, is a really class act not a bootlegger's son.

kmark, Broken Arrow (1/9/2009 2:55:26 PM)

I think those who are critical of Coach Stoops needs to just stop and remember what it was like BEFORE he got here. Would you like Coach Blake or Coach Schnellenberger back? I didn't think so. While I don't agree with some of the calls I feel darn lucky that Coach Stoops in here and as for me he can stay as long as he likes!

Redbird64, (1/9/2009 2:56:43 PM)

How many other schools (and their fans) would like to play for the championship (on average) every couple of years?

Thanks for the great year and BOOMER SOONER!!!

Sooner Hawg, (1/9/2009 3:09:41 PM)

Royce............Actually Stoops has been in 7 BCS bowl games, was in the Rose Bowl also. He is 2-5 in BCS bowls, 4-6 overall in bowls. OU has gone to a bowl game every year he has been at OU. Ou did not go to a bowl game in the four years before he was hired.
He is a outstanding coach. Sure people will question some calls. That's the way it is with a loss. The internet message boards has replaced the coffee shops of the 70's for the bleacher coaches.
I remember Coach Switzer won three NC's and it still wasn't enough. Some people still complain the he could have won seven, but losses in "big" games against the likes of Arkansas, Washington, Nebraska, and Miami prevented that.
I for one am dissappionted in the loss, but proud of the season, these players, and this coaching staff.

pat, Kiefer (1/9/2009 3:47:54 PM)

BOOMER SOONER!!!!!!!

bdoug, Tulsa (1/9/2009 4:01:44 PM)

Great article! And Thank You! And for all you bandwagon Sooner fans... don't ever watch another game again... don't want to hear you whining... I'm very proud of the Sooners.... they'll be back... and the Sun did rise!

pdxsooner, (1/9/2009 7:57:27 PM)

kullychaha- do you have any knowledge of college football history?!?! Osborne had a tough stretch of losses in a row to OU (not in bowl games) and then he got over the hump beating us as OU was struggling thanks to the probation. Osborne won 3 national titles in his final four years and then retired, Nebraska didn't make a change, he left.

Stoops is by far one of the best (if not the best) college coaches in America and OU should pray everyday that he sticks around for at least another 10 years.

There were a few bad calls last night, but the main reason we lost were player mistakes at the wrong time and those are going to happen no matter how well coached a team is.

We'll be back in the national championship again with Bob coaching us, mark it down now.

Bullhead, Nicut (1/9/2009 9:18:10 PM)

I was glad to hear him say he was going to try it again next year. That must mean he's staying at least one more year. No matter how angry I get at them, I think Stoops is the best coach we could have.

Drumie, Palatine, IL (1/9/2009 9:44:42 PM)

You just have to remember, OU has been to a lot of BCS championship games. It is really hard to even play in those games. Unless you go undefeated, all the pieces have to fall into place, to be in that game. There are a lot of one-loss teams who did not get to that game. If Bradford comes back, we have a good chance to go next year.

NV Sooner Girl, (1/9/2009 11:04:48 PM)

I have been a Sooner fan for my entire life back to Bud Wilkinson days. Bob Stoops is one of the finest coaches in the country. A great example to his team, his college and everyone who watches him. So we lost the BIG game. It hurts. I still would nor trade Coach Stoops, Sam Bradford or any of our team. We can hold our heads up high and be proud that we have one of the top football programs in the nation and get to go to the big games more than most other schools. Bob Stoops is traing the team not only to play football, but to be good men. We are so lucky. I must also mention I am proud that Coach doesn't whine like many of the other coaches. We are fortunate we get to play in the big games more than most other colleges in the country. If we are LUCKY Coach Stoops will stay with us. Hopefully so will Sam Bradford. I love my Sooner's. See you next year.

Jeff Barr, allen (1/9/2009 11:18:26 PM)

Stoopid Coach=Stoopid Game Plan=Stoopid Loss